CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Questions/Support/Help

Ticking/clinking Front Crank when pedeling

(17 posts)
  • Started 13 years ago by DaveC
  • Latest reply from alibali
  • This topic is not resolved

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  1. DaveC
    Member

    I have a 6 month old Specialized Rockhopper SL with a similar crank to this:

    Shimano FC-M430-8, Octalink spline

    Now its started clinking/ticking when I peddle hard. I tried tightening all the alan bolts last night, on the main crank and those holding the different rings together, but its still clinking when i peddle hard. Has anyone any advice on how I can fix this please? Does it require any lube/tightening?

    Cheers,

    Dave C

    Posted 13 years ago #
  2. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Could be the bottom bracket in which case unless you've got tools to extract and have a look if it needs lubing, it may be best to take it to the shop and say "make it work please".

    Does it happen when you stand up and pedal? I had a similar thing to this a while back and it turned out it was the seat bolt creaking when I pedalled, so it didn't happen when I stood and pedalled.

    Could be the cranks themselves, if you have an extractor you could pull them out, clean the surfaced, grease them and fit it back together tightly.

    Could also be a pedal bearing.

    In my experiences, mystery creaks can be very hard to diagnose, especially when you take it into a shop and cannot seem to replicate the problem.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  3. wingpig
    Member

    I had that as a recurring problem when setting off and standing up, albeit with a square-taper BB axle and Truvativ crank. The first time it happened it was partially-resolved by being tightened as far as it would go whilst a new left crank arm was ordered. The next time it happened on the right the crank was replaced. Original BB still working fine with new stuff.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  4. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    I have Octalink on a couple of bikes. Loose crank bolts could be the cause but you will need a long handled allen key to get sufficient torque. There's conflicting advice on whether or not to grease the octalink surfaces. I think you are not supposed to but I tried it and it solved the clicking crank problem I had with mine. Mind you, the crank is now seized on the drive side so that may be bad advice.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  5. Arellcat
    Moderator

    Dave, is it clicking every pedal revolution, or every chain revolution? Does it do it, as Kaputnik said, on the power, off the power, standing up, or sitting down? This'll help pin down where it's occurring. I would suggest a light coating of grease on the Octalink splines. Copper grease will be ok as long as you don't leave it more than a year between reapplications, as it tends to help weld small bits of steel into large bits of aluminium; I now prefer to use Castrol moly grease.

    My bike was once making a strange creaking/grinding noise whenever I was pedalling hard. After greasing every mating part of the chainset, I was convinced it was a pinch bolt behind the BB that was creaking, and promptly filed a bit of metal down a fraction. It turned out to be the cheap ISIS bottom bracket that was creaking, even though there was no discernable play. It got replaced with a decent FSA unit and the noise disappeared immediately.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  6. amir
    Member

    Is it definitely the crank? Noises can transmit down the drive train and all over the bike. Even the seatpost could be to blame (worth re-greasing). Very frustrating.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  7. DaveC
    Member

    Its every pedal revolution. It does it every pedal stroke regardless of siting or standing. The silicon grease on the seat post has dried up, so I might regrease it. I'll also try without a seat post altogether to isolate that. A collegue who mountina bike more seriously than I do suggested taking it to a local shop too...

    Posted 13 years ago #
  8. chdot
    Admin

    "Its every pedal revolution."

    Hitting front mech?

    Or even frame??

    Or pedals???

    Or knees????

    Posted 13 years ago #
  9. DaveC
    Member

    Looking at the Chainset and bottom hub its a sprecialist tool required to loosen or tighten, and no obvious way of adding grease.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  10. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    You can't open the Octalink bearings but there's no specialist tool required to remove the cranks, just an allen key as they are self-extracting bolts. The bit to grease would be the splines which mate the cranks to the bearing spindle.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  11. DaveC
    Member

    Cheers Cyclingmollie, I have some Copper grease, would people suggest this is most suitable?

    Posted 13 years ago #
  12. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    I think Arrelcat suggested a light coating of copper grease would be best.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  13. ExcitableBoy
    Member

    I had an irritating creak which I thought was the bottom bracket, as it was happening whilst pedaling hard, even out of seat etc. - eventually turned out to be the jockey wheels! - I don't know much about these things, but may be worth a try?

    Posted 13 years ago #
  14. DaveC
    Member

    Sorry I don't know what a Jockey wheel is???

    I had a good look yesterday, but didn't fix it. It definately happens on the stroke of the pedaling. I'll see what happens at the weekend when I have more time at home.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  15. kaputnik
    Moderator

    what a Jockey wheel is

    The pair of toothed wheels that hang below the derailleur and maintain the tension on the chain as it moves up and down the cassette.

    As standard often come with orrible cheap bearings, or can get little bits stuck in them that make ticking noise.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  16. DaveC
    Member

    Hmm, don't think it is the Jocky wheel. I clean and re oil my bike every few weeks. I'll check this though thanks.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  17. alibali
    Member

    I've had that symptom a couple of times on my ISIS MTB and each time it has been the bottom bracket bearings. The second time (Crank Brothers, don't ask what it cost) it started at the bottom of the Glentress red route and by the time I came down I was leaving a trail of sheared ball bearings from the drive side. I think Octo BBs have the same weakness: thick shaft in fixed BB shell size = small bearing.
    I bought a (cheap) ISIS BB for BMX bikes: problem solved.

    Posted 13 years ago #

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